Curved cover for curved display and curved type display apparatus including the same

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are a curved cover for curved display and a curved type display apparatus including the same in which the curved type display apparatus includes a curved part that includes a front part covering one edge of a display panel having a curved shape, and the front part includes a curved part having a curved shape and a bending part provided at each of both edges of the curved part.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 14/810,818,filed on Jul. 28, 2015, which claims the benefit of Korean PatentApplication Nos. 10-2015-0060049 filed on Apr. 28, 2015 and10-2015-0060062 filed on Apr. 28, 2015, which are hereby incorporated byreference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a manufacturingmethod thereof, and more particularly, to a curved type displayapparatus.

Discussion of the Related Art

With the advancement of information-oriented society, variousrequirements for display apparatuses for displaying an image areincreasing. Recently, as a screen of a display apparatus has a flat formand enlarges in size, a deviation of a viewing distance to a screencenter area and a viewing distance to each of both side areas of ascreen increases. In order to reduce the deviation of the viewingdistances and maximize a degree of viewing immersion of a user (or aviewer), a display apparatus where a flat screen is curved at a certaincurvature has been proposed.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a related art curved typedisplay apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 1, the related art curved type display apparatusincludes a display panel 10 that is concavely curved, an accommodatingcase (not shown) that accommodates the display panel 10 in a curvedform, and a top case 20 that surrounds a side surface of theaccommodating case and a front edge of the display panel 10 except adisplay surface of the display panel 10.

The top case 20 is provided in a tetragonal belt shape having an openingto cover the front edge of the display panel 10, thereby maintaining acurved shape of the display panel 10. Particularly, the top case 20covers a panel driving circuit (not shown) that includes a pad partdisposed at one edge of the display panel 10 and a plurality of flexiblecircuit films attached to the pad part.

In the related art curved type display apparatus, bezel widths BW1 andBW2 (or a width of a border) increase due to the top case 20, and forthis reason, a degree of viewing immersion of a user in a curved screenmay be reduced. Also, an aesthetic appearance of the related art curvedtype display apparatus may deteriorate due to the increases in a bezelwidth and a step height between the display panel 10 and the top case20.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a display apparatusand method for manufacturing the same that substantially obviates one ormore problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An aspect of the present invention is directed to provide a curved typedisplay apparatus which has a thin bezel width and an enhanced aestheticappearance.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to provide a curvedcover for curved display and a curved type display apparatus includingthe same, which prevent an aesthetic appearance from being deteriorateddue to partial detachment caused by restoration of the shape of adisplay panel having a curved shape.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to provide a curvedtype display apparatus which prevents an aesthetic appearance from beingdeteriorated due to partial detachment caused by restoration of theshape of a display panel having a curved shape.

Additional advantages and features of the invention will be set forth inpart in the description which follows and in part will become apparentto those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of thefollowing or may be learned from practice of the invention. Theobjectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized andattained by the structure particularly pointed out in the writtendescription and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposeof the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there isprovided a curved type display apparatus including a curved part thatincludes a front part covering one edge of a display panel, wherein thefront part includes a curved part having a curved shape and a bendingpart provided at each of both edges of the curved part.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a curvedtype display apparatus including a curved part that includes a frontpart covering one edge of a display panel having a curved shape, whereinthe front part includes a middle part having a curved shape having afirst curvature, one edge having a curved shape having a secondcurvature different from the first curvature, and another edge having acurved shape having the second curvature.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a curvedcover for curved display including a front part configured to cover apad part of a display panel having a curved shape and a side wall partbent from the front part, wherein the front part includes a curved parthaving a curved shape and a bending part provided at each of both edgesof the curved part.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a curvedtype display apparatus in which a rear edge of a display panel having acurved shape is attached to a guide frame by a panel coupling member,and a supporting pad that supports a middle part between corners of thedisplay panel overlaps the panel coupling member.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a curvedtype display apparatus further includes a panel driving circuit coupledto a display panel and a curved cover covering the panel drivingcircuit. Here, a front part of the curved cover includes a curved parthaving a curved shape and a bending part provided at each of both edgesof the curved part, the bending part having a curvature different from acurvature of the curved part.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description of the present invention areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a related art curved typedisplay apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a curved type displayapparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a curved cover according to a firstembodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagram for describing non-uniformity of a gap caused by therelease of the shape of a display panel illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a curved type displayapparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing a curved cover according to a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view for describing a gap between a display panel andthe curved cover illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view for describing in detail thecurved type display apparatus according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is another cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 9and is a diagram for manufacturing a guide frame according to amodification example;

FIG. 12A is a diagram for describing a gap between a display panel and acurved cover according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 12B is a diagram for describing a gap between a display panel and acurved cover according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 13A is diagrams for describing initial shapes of first and secondedges of a display panel in the curved type display apparatus accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II′ of FIG. 13A;

FIG. 14A is diagrams for describing the shape modifications of the firstand second edges of the display panel in the curved type displayapparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III′ of FIG.14A;

FIG. 15 is a diagram for describing light leakage which occurs in acorner part of the display panel clue to restoration of the shape of thedisplay panel in the curved type display apparatus according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically illustrating a curved type displayapparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV′ of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18A is a diagram for describing initial shapes of first and secondedges of a display panel in the curved type display apparatus accordingto the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18B is a diagram for describing the shape modification of the firstand second edges of the display panel in the curved type displayapparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is another cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV′ of FIG.16; and

FIG. 20 is another cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV′ of FIG.16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

The terms described in the specification should be understood asfollows. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. The terms “first” and “second” are fordifferentiating one element from the other element, and these elementsshould not be limited by these terms. It will be further understood thatthe terms “comprises”, “comprising,”, “has”, “having”, “includes” and/or“including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features,integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do notpreclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groupsthereof. The term “at least one” should be understood as including anyand all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Forexample, the meaning of “at least one of a first item, a second item,and a third item” denotes the combination of all items proposed from twoor more of the first item, the second item, and the third item as wellas the first item, the second item, or the third item. The term “on”should be construed as including a case where one element is formed at atop of another element and moreover a case where a third element isdisposed therebetween.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a curved cover for curved displayand a curved type display apparatus including the same according to thepresent invention will be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings. In adding reference numerals for elements in eachdrawing, it should be noted that like reference numerals already used todenote like elements in other drawings are used for elements whereverpossible. In the following description, when the detailed description ofthe relevant known function or configuration is determined tounnecessarily obscure the disclosure of the present invention, thedetailed description will be omitted.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a curved type displayapparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion A of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the curved type display apparatus accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention may include a displaypanel 100, a curved cover 300, and an external case 500.

The display panel 100 may include a plurality of pixels which arerespectively provided in a plurality of pixel areas defined byintersections of a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data linesto display an image, a lower substrate 111, and an upper substrate 113.

The lower substrate 111 may have a larger size than that of the uppersubstrate 113. In this case, a portion other than one edge of the lowersubstrate 111 may have the same size as that of the upper substrate 113.The one edge of the lower substrate 111 may extend to outside one sidesurface of the upper substrate 113 not to overlap the upper substrate113. A pad part PP connected to a pixel may be provided at the one edgeof the lower substrate 111.

The pad part PP may be connected to a panel driving circuit 130. Thepanel driving circuit 130 may include a flexible circuit film that isconnected to the pad part PP and is bent a rear surface of the displaypanel 100 along one side surface of the display panel 100, a drivingintegrated circuit (IC) that is mounted on the flexible circuit film,and a printed circuit board (PCB) that is disposed on the rear surfaceof the display panel 100.

The upper substrate 113 may be facing-bonded to the lower substrate 111by a sealant to cover a portion of the lower substrate 111 except oneedge of the lower substrate 111.

The display panel 100 may have a predetermined curvature or apredetermined radius with respect to a virtual reference point and maybe curved in a concave shape. That is, the display panel 100 may beconcavely bent in a curved shape by heating the display panel 100 at apredetermined temperature, and then, the display panel 100 may be curveda concave shape by a panel bending process of maintaining a bendingstate for a predetermined time and may be supported by a panelsupporting part (not shown). Here, the panel supporting part maysurround a side surface and the rear surface of the display panel 100except a front surface of the display panel 100 and may include a guideframe (not shown) that supports the display panel 100. That is, thepanel supporting part may not protrude onto the front surface of thedisplay panel 100 and thus may expose the whole front surface of thedisplay panel 100 to the front (or the outside) of the displayapparatus.

The curved cover 300 may be manufactured to have a curved shapecorresponding to that of the display panel 100 and may be disposed tocover the one edge of the display panel 100 including one edge of thelower substrate 111. The curved cover 300 may cover the pad part PP ofthe lower substrate 111 and the panel driving circuit 130 connected tothe pad part PP by covering the one edge of the display panel 100.

The curved cover 300 according to a first embodiment, as illustrated inFIG. 4, may include a front part 310 and a side wall part 320.

The front part 310 may cover the pad part PP of the display panel 100and may be concavely curved to have a curved shape corresponding to thatof the display panel 100. The front part 310 may have a length L and aheight (or a width) H for covering the one edge of the display panel100. The front part 310 may be disposed to be separated from a frontsurface (for example, a front surface of an upper polarizing member) ofthe one edge of the display panel 100 by a certain distance and maycover the front surface of the one edge of the display panel 100. Thatis, the front part 310 may have a curved shape having a predeterminedcurvature or a predetermined radius R with respect to the virtualreference point to be separated from the front surface of the displaypanel 100 by a certain distance.

The side wall part 320 may be bent from a lower side of the front part310 to surround one side surface of the panel supporting part and oneside surface of the display panel 100. The side wall part 320 may bedetachably coupled to a side surface of the panel supporting part by afastening ember such as a screw, a hook, and/or the like. For example,both edges (i.e., one edge and the other edge) of the side wall part 320may be coupled to the side surface of the panel supporting part by ascrew (not shown), and to this end, a screw through hole 321 may beprovided in each of the both edges of the side wall part 320. Also, aportion other than the both edges of the side wall part 320 may becoupled to the side surface of the panel supporting part through aplurality of hooks (not shown) which are arranged at certain intervals.

The curved type display apparatus according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention may further include a buffering pad 700 that isprovided between the one edge of the display panel 100 and the curvedcover 300.

The buffering pad 700 may be attached to an inner surface (i.e., aninner surface of the front part 310) of the curved cover 300 facing theone edge of the display panel 100. In this case, the buffering pad 700may have a straight shape having a certain width and thickness.Therefore, since the buffering pad 700 is disposed between the one edgeof the display panel 100 and the front part 310 of the curved cover 300,the buffering pad 700 may buffer an external force applied to the curvedcover 300 to protect the display panel 100 from the external force, andprevents foreign materials, such as dust and/or the like, frompenetrating into between the display panel 100 and the curved cover 300or minimizes the foreign materials.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, the external case 500 may accommodatethe panel supporting part and surround a side surface of the panelsupporting part and a side surface of the curved cover 300. The externalcase 500 according to an embodiment may include a case side wall and afloor plate for providing an accommodating space.

The floor plate may cover a rear surface of the panel supporting part.Particularly, the floor plate may have a curved shape corresponding tothat of the display panel 100 so as to maintain the shape of the displaypanel 100 which is curved in a concave shape.

The case side wall may be provided vertical to the floor plate and maysurround each of side surfaces of the panel supporting part and a sidewall 320 of the curved cover 300.

In the curved type display apparatus according to the first embodimentof the present invention, edges other than the one edge of the displaypanel 100 are exposed to the outside without being covered byinstruments such as the panel supporting part and the external case 500,and thus, the curved type display apparatus has a thin bezel width BWcorresponding to a thickness of the external case 500. Also, a steppedportion is removed from an edge of the display panel 100, and thus, anaesthetic appearance of the curved type display apparatus is enhanced.

In the curved type display apparatus according to the first embodimentof the present invention, the partial detachment of the display panel100 can occur due to a shape-restoring phenomenon that occurs in thedisplay panel 100 having a curved shape depending on the elapse of timeand an ambient environment condition (for example, a temperature andhumidity). Particularly, when the display panel 100 is used as a screenof a monitor of a computer, the partial detachment of the edge of thedisplay panel 100 can occur due to the shape-restoring phenomenon thatoccurs after the display panel 100 is supported by the panel supportingpart in a state of being curved in a concave shape by the panel bendingprocess. The partial detachment of the display panel 100 can occur in asmall and medium display panel having a relatively smaller size thanthat of a large display panel which has a curved shape obtained by aself-weight without the panel bending process.

In detail, as illustrated in (a) to (c) of FIG. 5, the display panel 100having a flat shape may be curved in a concave shape by the panelbending process and may be coupled to the panel supporting part in acurved shape. However, the display panel 100 which is coupled to thepanel supporting part in a state of being curved in a curved shape maybe locally modified due to a shape-releasing phenomenon which occursdepending on the elapse of time and an ambient environment condition.The partial detachment of the display panel 100 caused by the localmodification of the display panel 100 causes non-uniformity of a gap (ora distance) GP provided between the display panel 100 and the curvedcover 300, and for this reason, an aesthetic appearance of the curvedtype display apparatus is deteriorated. Here, the release of the shapeof the display panel 100 can occur due to a deviation of a force whichallows a concavely curved display panel 100 to return to a flat shape.

For example, when the display panel 100 is curved so that a horizontallength is longer than a vertical length and a horizontal-directioncenter part X is concave, left and right edge parts LEP and REP of thedisplay panel 100 (or a short-edge of the display panel 100) may bemodified from a reference position P1 to a shape-releasing position P2due to the release of the shape of the display panel 100. Therefore, thegap GP provided between the display panel 100 and the curved cover 300relatively more increases at each of first and second edge parts EP1 andEP2 of the display panel 100 than a middle area MA of the display panel100, and thus, gaps GP provided in the middle area MA and the first andsecond edge parts EP1 and EP2 of the display panel 100 are non-uniform.For this reason, the gap GP between the display panel 100 and the curvedcover 300 is non-uniform due to the release of the shape of the displaypanel 100, and thus, an aesthetic appearance of the curved type displayapparatus is deteriorated, and foreign materials such as dust and/or thelike can penetrate into the panel driving circuit 130 through thenon-uniform gap GP.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a curved type displayapparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 7 is a diagram for describing a curved cover 1300 according to asecond embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate thecurved type display apparatus and the curved cover manufactured bychanging a structure of the front surface of the curved cover accordingto the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. Thus, in the followingdescription, only the curved cover will be described.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the curved cover 1300 according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention may include a front part 310and a side wall part 320.

The front part 310 may cover a pad part of a display panel 100 (in moredetail, one edge of the display panel 100) and may be separated from theone edge of the display panel 100 at non-uniform intervals. To this end,the front part 310 may include a middle area MA including a curved shapehaving a first curvature, one edge part LEP including a curved shapehaving a second curvature different from the first curvature, and theother edge part REP including a curved shape having the secondcurvature. Therefore, even when the shape of the display panel 100 isreleased, the front part 310 may be separated from the concavely curveddisplay panel 100 at uniform intervals. The front part 310 according toan embodiment may include a curved part 312 and a bending part 314.

The curved part 312 may include a middle area MA of the front part 310and may be concavely curved to have a curved shape corresponding to thatof the display panel 100. The curved part 312 may have a length and aheight (or a width) H for covering the one edge of the display panel100. The curved part 312 may be disposed to be separated from the oneedge (for example, a front surface of an upper polarizing member) of thedisplay panel 100 by a certain distance and may cover a front surface ofthe one edge of the display panel 100. For example, the curved part 312may cover a front surface of a third edge part EP3 of the display panel100. The curved part 312 may have a curved shape having a predeterminedcurvature or a predetermined radius R with respect to a virtualreference point RP to be separated from a front surface of the displaypanel 100 by a certain distance.

The bending part 314 may include one edge part LEP and the other edgepart REP of the front part 310 covering the third edge part EP3 of thedisplay panel 100. The bending part 314 may be bent in a direction froma front surface of the curved part 312 to a front surface of the displaypanel 100 at each of one edge part LEP and the other edge part REP ofthe curved part 312, and thus, the one edge part LEP and the other edgepart REP of the front part 310 maintain a uniform interval with thedisplay panel 100.

In more detail, the bending part 314 may be provided at each of cornerparts of both edges of the curved part 312 to have a curvature differentfrom that of the curved part 312. For example, the bending part 314 maybe bent toward the display panel 100 at each of the corner parts of theboth edges of the curved part 312 and thus is more easily bent, wherebythe bending part 314 may have a larger curvature than that of the curvedpart 312. Therefore, an upper part UP of the front part 310 may includethe curved part 312, which is provided in the middle area MA between theone edge part LEP and the other edge part REP to have the firstcurvature, and the bending part 314 which is provided between the bothedge parts LEP and REP to have the second curvature which is larger thanthe first curvature, with respect to a height direction Z of the curvedcover 1300. Also, a lower part LP of the front part 310 may include onlythe curved part 312 having the first curvature, with respect to theheight direction Z of the curved cover 1300.

The bending part 314 may be provided in a triangular shape at each ofthe corner parts of the both edges LEP and REP of the curved part 312and thus is more easily bent. For example, the bending part 314 may havean isosceles triangle shape that includes a bottom side, which has afirst length Lx and is parallel to a lengthwise direction X of thecurved part 312 with a corner part CP (or an upper corner of a shortside of the curved cover) of the curved part 312 as a reference point,and a height which has a second length Lz and is parallel to a heightdirection Z of the curved part 312 with the corner part CP of the curvedpart 312 as a reference point. Here, the first length Lx may be set to10 mm to 20 mm, but is not limited thereto. For example, the firstlength Lx may be changed based on a size and/or a curvature of thedisplay panel 100. Also, the second length Lz may be set to 4 mm to 8mm, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second length Lz may bechanged based on the size and/or curvature of the display panel 100.

The bending part 314 may be bent by a third length Ly in a directionfrom the front surface of the curved part 312 to the display panel 100.That is, the corner part CP of the curved part 312 included in thebending part 314 may be stepped by the third length Ly from the frontsurface of the curved part 312. For example, the third length Ly may beset to a thickness of the front part 310, or may be set to a referencedistance (or a reference gap) between the display panel 100 and thefront part 310.

The side wall part 320 may be bent from a lower side of the front part310 to surround one side surface of a panel supporting part (not shown),thereby covering a flexible circuit film that is bent from the pad partof the display panel 100 to surround one side surface of the displaypanel 100. Since the side wall part 320 is the same as the side wallpart of FIG. 4, like reference numerals refer to like elements, anddescriptions on the same elements are not repeated.

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating an arrangement structure of thedisplay panel and the curved cover in the curved type display apparatusaccording to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, the left and right edge parts LEP and REP ofthe display panel 100 which is curved in a concave shape may be modifiedfrom the reference position P1 to the shape-releasing position P2 due tothe shape-releasing phenomenon caused by the elapse of time and anambient environment condition (for example, a temperature and humidity).In this case, the left and right edge parts LEP and REP of the displaypanel 100 may be covered by the bending part 314 which is provided atthe front part 310 of the curved cover 1300, and thus, gaps GP betweenthe curved cover 1300 and the left and right edge parts LEP and REP ofthe display panel 100 and a gap GP between the curved cover 1300 and themiddle area MA of the display panel 100 are identically maintained.

In detail, the middle area MA of the display panel 100 where theshape-releasing phenomenon is relatively small may be covered by thecurved part 312 of the front part 310 having a curved shapecorresponding to that of the display panel 100, and thus, even when theshape-releasing phenomenon occurs in the display panel 100, thepredetermined gap GP between the middle area MA of the display panel 100and the curved cover 1300 is maintained. Also, the both edges LEP andREP of the display panel 100 where the shape-releasing phenomenon isrelatively large may be covered by the bending part 314 of the frontpart 310 which is bent to correspond to modification of a curvaturecaused by the release of the shape of the display panel 100, and thus,even when the shape-releasing phenomenon occurs in the display panel100, the predetermined gaps GP between the both edges LEP and REP of thedisplay panel 100 and the curved cover 1300 are maintained.

Therefore, since the curved cover 1300 according to the secondembodiment of the present invention includes the bending part 314 whichis bent to correspond to modification of a curvature caused by therelease of the shape of the display panel 100, the curved cover 1300 isseparated from the concavely curved display panel 100 at uniformintervals despite the release of the shape of the display panel 100.

Therefore, non-uniformity of the gap GP which occurs between the displaypanel 100 and the curved cover 1300 due to the release of the shape ofthe display panel 100 is minimized or prevented, and thus, an aestheticappearance of the curved type display apparatus is enhanced, and foreignmaterials such as dust and/or the like are prevented from penetratinginto the panel driving circuit through the non-uniform gap GP or areminimized.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view for describing in detail thecurved type display apparatus according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken alongline I-I′ of FIG. 9.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the curved type display apparatus accordingto the second embodiment of the present invention may include thedisplay panel 100, a panel driving circuit 130, a backlight unit 150, apanel supporting part 200, the curved cover 1300, and an external case500.

The display panel 100 may adjust a light transmittance of a liquidcrystal layer (not shown) to display an image and include a lowersubstrate 111 and an upper substrate 113 which are facing-bonded to eachother with the liquid crystal layer therebetween, a lower polarizingmember 115, and an upper polarizing member 117.

The lower substrate 111 may be a thin film transistor (TFT) arraysubstrate and may include a pixel array including a plurality of pixels(not shown) which are respectively provided in a plurality of pixelareas defined by intersections of a plurality of gate lines (not shown)and a plurality of data lines (not shown). Each of the plurality ofpixels may include a TFT (not shown) connected to a gate line and a dataline, a pixel electrode connected to the TFT, and a common electrodewhich is provided adjacent to the pixel electrode and receives a commonvoltage.

The pad part PP connected to a plurality of signal lines may be providedat one edge part LS of the lower substrate 111 and may be connected tothe panel driving circuit 130. Also, a gate driving circuit (not shown)for supplying a gate (or scan) signal to the gate lines may be providedin a non-display area NDA of one short side or both short sides of thelower substrate 111. The gate driving circuit may be provided to beconnected to the gate lines in a process of manufacturing the TFT ofeach of the plurality of pixels.

The upper substrate 113 may include a pixel defining pattern, whichdefines an opening area overlapping each of the plurality of pixel areasprovided on the lower substrate 111, and a color filter that is providedin the opening area. The upper substrate 113 may be facing-bonded to thelower substrate 111 by a sealant with the liquid crystal layertherebetween.

An alignment layer (not shown) for adjusting a pretilt angle of liquidcrystal may be disposed on at least one of the lower substrate 111 andthe upper substrate 113. The liquid crystal layer may be disposedbetween the lower substrate 111 and the upper substrate 113 and mayinclude the liquid crystal consisting of liquid crystal molecules whichare aligned in a horizontal direction with a lateral electric fieldgenerated by a data voltage applied to the pixel electrode and thecommon voltage applied to the common electrode in each of the pluralityof pixels.

The lower polarizing member 115 may be attached to a bottom of the lowersubstrate 111 and may polarize light incident from the backlight unit150 with respect to a first polarizing axis to irradiate the polarizedlight onto the lower substrate 111.

The upper polarizing member 117 may be attached to a top of the uppersubstrate 113 to polarize light that passes through the upper substrate113 and is transferred to the outside. The upper polarizing member 117according to an embodiment may include a polarizing film that isattached to the top of the upper substrate 113 to polarize the light,which passes through the upper substrate 113 and is transferred to theoutside, with respect to a second polarizing axis different from thefirst polarizing axis. The upper polarizing member 117 according toanother embodiment may include the polarizing film and a retarder film(not shown) that is attached to the top of the polarizing film toseparate a three-dimensional (3D) image (i.e., a left-eye image and aright-eye image), displayed by the display panel 100, into differentpolarization states

When the upper polarizing member 117 includes the retarder film, thedisplay panel 100 may be driven in a two-dimensional (2D) display modeand a 3D display mode. In the 3D display mode, a left-eye image (or aright-eye image) may be displayed on an odd-numbered (or even-numbered)horizontal line of the display panel 100, and simultaneously, theright-eye image (or the left-eye image) may be displayed on theeven-numbered (or odd-numbered) horizontal line of the display panel100. The retarder film may include a first retarder pattern, whichoverlaps the odd-numbered horizontal line and polarizes an image,displayed on the odd-numbered horizontal line, to a first polarizationstate, and a second retarder pattern which overlaps the even-numberedhorizontal line and polarizes an image, displayed on the even-numberedhorizontal line, to a second polarization state different from the firstpolarization state.

The display panel 100 may drive the liquid crystal layer with anelectric field which is generated by the data voltage and the commonvoltage applied to each of the plurality of pixels, thereby displaying acertain color image according to a light transmittance of the liquidcrystal layer.

In addition, the curved type display apparatus according to the secondembodiment of the present invention may further include a side sealingmember 400.

The side sealing member 400 may be provided to cover side surfaces ofthe display panel 100 except the one edge part LS of the display panel100. For example, with respect to a vertically disposed display surfaceof the display panel 100, the side sealing member 400 may directly coverthree side surfaces of the display panel 100 including a left surface, aleft upper corner part, an upper surface, a right upper corner part, anda right surface except one side surface (i.e., a lower surface) of thedisplay panel 100 where the pad part PP is provided. The side sealingmember 400 protects the side surfaces of the display panel 100 from anexternal impact and prevents light from being leaked through the sidesurfaces of the display panel 100.

The side sealing member 400 may be formed of a silicon-based or UVhardening-based sealant (or resin), but considering a process tack time,the side sealing member 400 may be formed of a UV hardening-basedsealant. Also, the side sealing member 400 may be colored (for example,blue, red, bluish green, or black), but is not limited thereto. In orderto prevent light from being leaked through the side surfaces, the sidesealing member 400 may be formed of a colored resin or a light blockingresin.

The panel driving circuit 130 may be connected to the pad part PPprovided on the substrate 111 to drive the pixels of the display panel100, thereby displaying a certain color image in the display panel 100.The panel driving circuit 130 according to an embodiment may include aplurality of flexible circuit films 131 connected to the pad part PP ofthe display panel 100, a data driving IC 133 mounted on each of theplurality of flexible circuit films 131, a PCB 135 coupled to each ofthe plurality of flexible circuit films 131, and a timing controller 137mounted on the PCB 135.

Each of the plurality of flexible circuit films 131 may be attachedbetween the pad part PP of the lower substrate 111 and the PCB 135 by afilm attaching process and may be formed of a tape carrier package (TCP)or chip on film (COF, chip on flexible board). Each of the plurality offlexible circuit films 131 may be bent along one side surface (i.e., thelower surface) of the display panel 100 and may be disposed on a rearsurface of the panel supporting part 200.

The data driving IC 133 may be mounted on each of the plurality offlexible circuit films 131 and may be connected to the pad part PPthrough the flexible circuit films 131. The data driving IC 133 mayreceive pixel data for each pixel and a data control signal which aresupplied from the timing controller 137, convert the pixel data for eachpixel into an analog data signal according to the data control signal,and supply the analog data signal to a corresponding data line.

The PCB 135 may be connected to the plurality of flexible circuit films131. The PCB 135 may respectively supply signals, which are fordisplaying an image on each pixel of the display panel 100, to the datadriving IC 133 and a gate driving circuit. To this end, various signallines, various power circuits (not shown), a memory (not shown), etc.may be mounted on the PCB 1.35.

The timing controller 137 may be mounted on the PCB 135. The timingcontroller 137 may align digital image data input from a driving systemaccording to a pixel arrangement structure of the display panel 100 togenerate pixel data for each pixel in response to a timing sync signalsupplied from an external driving system (not shown) and may supply thegenerated pixel data for each pixel to the data driving IC 133. Also,the timing controller 137 may generate a data control signal and a gatecontrol signal based on the timing sync signal to control a drivingtiming of each of the data driving IC 133 and the gate driving circuit.

In addition, the timing controller 137 may control the backlight unit150 by using an edge type local dimming technology to separately controla luminance of each of regions of the display panel 100.

As described above, the display panel 100 connected to the panel drivingcircuit 130 may be curved in a concave shape by the panel bendingprocess and may maintain a concavely curved shape. That is, the displaypanel 100 which has undergone the panel bending process may have acurved shape instead of a flat shape. For example, the display panel 100may a curved shape where a horizontal-direction (X) length is longerthan a vertical-direction (Y) length and a horizontal-direction (X)center part is concavely curved toward the backlight unit 150.

The backlight unit 150 may be accommodated in the panel supporting part200 to irradiate light onto a bottom of the display panel 100. Thebacklight unit 150 according to an embodiment may include a light source151, a light guide panel 153, a reflective sheet 155, and an opticalsheet part 157.

The light source 151 may irradiate light onto a light incident partwhich is provided on one side surface of the light guide panel 153.Here, the light incident part may include one long side of the lightguide panel 153 overlapping the one edge part LS of the display panel100, but is not limited thereto. For example, the light incident partmay include both long sides or both short sides of the light guide panel153. However, in the curved type display apparatus where the displaysurface of the display panel 100 is vertically disposed, in order tominimize bezel widths of an upper side US and left and right sides, thelight incident part may be provided on one long side of the light guidepanel 133 overlapping the one edge part LS of the display panel 100.

The light source 151 according to an embodiment may include a pluralityof light emitting diode (LED) packages 151 b that are mounted on a lightsource PCB 151 a to emit white light according to a light source drivingsignal supplied from a backlight driver (not shown).

The plurality of LED packages 151 b may be mounted on the light sourcePCB 151 a to face the light incident part of the light guide panel 153and to be arranged at predetermined intervals along a long-side lengthdirection X of the light guide panel 153. In this case, an intervalbetween adjacent LED packages 151 b may be set to within a range wherehot spot does not occur in the light incident part of the light guidepanel 133 due to light emitted from adjacent LED packages 151 b.

The light guide panel 153 may be disposed under the rear surface of thedisplay panel 100 and may transfer the light, which is incident throughthe light incident part from the plurality of LED packages 151 b, towardthe rear surface of the display panel 100. The light guide panel 153according to an embodiment may be manufactured in a flat shape and maybe accommodated in the panel supporting part 200 to have a curved shape.That is, the flat-shaped light guide panel 153 may be concavely bent bya self-weight when the flat-shaped light guide panel 153 is accommodatedin the panel supporting part 200, and thus, the light guide panel 153may have a curved shape corresponding to that of the display panel 100.The light guide panel 153 according to another embodiment may bemanufactured in a curved shape corresponding to that of the concavelycurved display panel 100 and may be accommodated in the panel supportingpart 200.

The reflective sheet 155 may be disposed on a bottom of the light guidepanel 153 to reflect the light, which is incident from the light guidepanel 153, toward the light guide panel 153, thereby minimizing the lossof the light traveling to a rear surface of the light guide panel 153.

The optical sheet part 157 may be disposed on the light guide panel 153and may include a lower diffusive sheet, a prism sheet, and an upperdiffusive sheet, but is not limited thereto. For example, the opticalsheet part 157 may be configured by a stacked combination of two or moreof a diffusive sheet, a prism sheet, a dual brightness enhancement film,and a lenticular sheet.

The panel supporting part 200 may support the display panel 100 andaccommodate the backlight unit 150. The panel supporting part 200according to an embodiment may include a guide frame 210, a panelcoupling ember 220, and a supporting cover 230.

The guide frame 210 according to an embodiment may have a tetragonalframe shape and may be supported by the supporting cover 230 to supportthe display panel 100. In this case, one side part of the guide frame210 may support the curved cover 1300 to surround one side surface ofthe display panel 100, and the other parts except the one side part ofthe guide frame 210 may be disposed under the display panel 100. Indetail, the guide frame 210 according to an embodiment may include apanel coupling part 211, a guide side wall 212, and a protrusion sidewall 213.

The panel coupling part 211 may be provided in a tetragonal belt shapehaving a central opening and may be disposed under the display panel 100to support a rear edge of the display panel 100.

The guide side wall 212 may be provided at a rear edge of the panelcoupling part 211 to have a certain height. The guide side wall 212 maybe disposed under the display panel 100 to surround side surfaces of thesupporting cover 230.

The protrusion side wall 213 may be provided to have a certain height ata top edge of the panel coupling part 211 overlapping the one edge partLS of the display panel 100. That is, the protrusion side wall 213 maybe provided on one side of the panel coupling part 211 to surround alower surface of the display panel 100 and support the curved cover1300. The plurality of flexible circuit films 131 may be bent toward arear surface of the supporting cover 230 to surround a top and a sidesurface of the protrusion side wall 213.

The guide frame 210 according to an embodiment may have a curved shapecorresponding to that of the concavely curved display panel 100. Thatis, the guide frame 210 according to an embodiment may have a curvedshape where a horizontal-direction (X) length is longer than avertical-direction (Y) length and a horizontal-direction (X) center partis concavely curved toward the external case 500.

The panel coupling member 220 may physically couple the rear edge of thedisplay panel 100 to the guide frame 210. That is, a bottom of the panelcoupling member 220 may be physically coupled to the panel coupling part211 of the guide frame 210, and a top of the panel coupling member 220may be physically coupled to the rear edge of the display panel 100. Thepanel coupling member 220 may attach the display panel 100 to the guideframe 210, thereby maintaining a curved shape of the concavely curveddisplay panel 100 and preventing the display panel 100 from beingdetached from the guide frame 210 and falling. In this case, the panelcoupling member 220 may be coupled to the lower substrate 111 of thedisplay panel 100 in consideration of a coupling force and thicknessesof the guide frame 210 and the display panel 100, but is not limitedthereto. For example, the panel coupling member 220 may be coupled tothe lower polarizing member 115 of the display panel 100. For example,the panel coupling member 220 may be a double-sided tape, aheat-hardening adhesive, a photocurable adhesive, a foam tape, or thelike, but may be a double-sided tape or a foam tape having a certainelastic force for absorbing an impact.

The panel coupling member 220 may be applied for enhancing an aestheticappearance and reducing a bezel width and the number of elements of thecurved type display apparatus by removing a top case from the curvedtype display apparatus. That is, since the display panel 100 is fixed tothe guide frame 210 by the panel coupling member 220, a top case of therelated art for preventing the display panel 100 supported by the guideframe 210 from failing may be removed. Therefore, an embodiment of thepresent invention does not need the top case of the related art, and allsurfaces other than one edge of the display panel 100 may have a flatshape and may be exposed to the outside, thereby reducing a bezel widthand the number of elements of the curved type display apparatus. Also,since the top case of the related art is removed, a side surface of thedisplay panel 100 is exposed to the outside, and for this reason, thedisplay panel 100 can be damaged by an external impact, or light can beleaked through the side surface due to the total internal reflection ofthe display panel 100. On the other hand, according to the presentembodiment, the side sealing member 400 provided on the side surface ofthe display panel 100 protects the side surface of the display panel 100from an external impact and prevents light from being leaked through theside surface.

The supporting cover 230 may accommodate the backlight unit 150 andsupport the guide frame 210. The supporting cover 230 according to anembodiment may include a cover plate 232, which supports the backlightunit 150 and covers a rear surface of the backlight unit 150, and acover side wall 234 that is bent from an edge of the cover plate 232 toprovide an accommodating space in the cover plate 232 and support thepanel coupling part 211 of the guide frame 210.

The cover side wall 234 of the supporting cover 230 may be surrounded bythe guide side wall 212 of the guide frame 210 and may be coupled to theguide side wall 212 by a coupling means such as a hook or the like.

The supporting cover 230 may have a curved shape corresponding to thatof the concavely curved display panel 100. That is, the supporting cover230 may have a curved shape where a horizontal-direction (X) length islonger than a vertical-direction (Y) length and a horizontal-direction(X) center part is concavely curved toward the external case 500.

In addition, a horizontal reinforcement bar and/or a verticalreinforcement bar for reinforcing the rigidity of the curved typedisplay apparatus may be further disposed on the rear surface of thesupporting cover 230.

The curved cover 1300 may be manufactured to have a curved shapecorresponding to that of the display panel 100 and may be coupled to thepanel supporting part 200 to cover the one edge part PS of the displaypanel 100. Since the curved cover 1300 has the same structure as that ofthe curved cover of FIGS. 6 to 8, like reference numerals refer to likeelements, and descriptions on the same elements are not repeated.

The curved cover 1300 may be detachably coupled to a side surface of thepanel supporting part 200 (i.e., a side surface of the guide frame 210)by a fastening member such as a screw, a hook, and/or the like.Therefore, the front part 310 of the curved cover 1300 may cover the oneedge part LS of the display panel 100 and the protrusion side wall 213of the guide frame 210. Also, the side wall part 320 of the curved cover1300 may surround one side of the guide frame 210, namely, a sidesurface of the protrusion side wall 213 and the guide side wall 212.Therefore, the curved cover 1300 may cover one edge of the display panel100, the pad part PP, and the panel driving circuit 130 not to beexposed to the outside.

The curved cover 1300, as described above, may include the bending part314 which is bent to correspond to modification of a curvature caused bythe release of the shape of the display panel 100, and thus, the curvedcover 1300 is separated from the concavely curved display panel 100 atuniform intervals despite the release of the shape of the display panel100. That is, the gap GP provided between the display panel 100 and thecurved cover 1300 is uniformly maintained by the bending part 314 of thecurved part 312 provided in the front part 310 of the curved cover 1300despite the release of the shape of the display panel 100.

The external case 500 may accommodate the panel supporting part 200 andsurround a side surface of the panel supporting part 20 and a sidesurface of the curved cover 1300, thereby forming a side surface and anexternal appearance of the curved type display apparatus. The externalcase 500 according to an embodiment may include a case plate 510 and acase side wall 520 which provide an accommodating space.

The case plate 510 may cover the panel supporting part 200, namely, therear surface of the supporting cover 230. Particularly, the case plate510 may have a curved shape corresponding to that of the concavelycurved display panel 100, for enhancing an aesthetic appearance of therear surface of the curved type display apparatus. That is, the caseplate 510 may have a curved shape where a horizontal-direction (X)length is longer than a vertical-direction (Y) length and ahorizontal-direction (X) center part is concavely curved toward a rearportion.

The case side wall 520 may be bent vertical to an edge of the case plate510 to surround a side surface of the panel supporting part 200 and theside wall part 320 of the curved cover 1300. That is, one side wall ofthe case side wall 520 may surround the side wall part 320 of the curvedcover 1300, and the other side walls of the case side wall 520 maysurround the other side surfaces of the guide frame 210, which are notsurrounded by the curved cover 1300, and the side sealing member 400provided on the side surface of the display panel 100. Therefore, theside surfaces of the display panel 100 may be surrounded by the caseside wall 520, and a top of the one edge part LS of the display panel100 may be covered by the curved cover 1300. Accordingly, the other topexcept the top of the one edge part LS of the display panel 100 may beexposed to the outside without being covered by a separate instrument.

Since all front surfaces of the display panel 100 other than the oneedge part LS of the display panel 100 are exposed to the outside, thecurved type display apparatus according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention has a thin bezel width W and an enhanced aestheticappearance. Also, in the curved type display apparatus according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention, a uniform gap between thedisplay panel 100 and the curved cover 1300 is provided by the bendingpart 314 provided in the front part 310 of the curved cover 1300 despitethe release of the shape of the display panel 100, and thus, thedeterioration of an aesthetic appearance caused by the release of theshape of the display panel 100 is minimized.

FIG. 11 is another cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 9and is a diagram illustrating a modified structure of the guide frameillustrated in FIG. 9. Thus, in the following description, only astructure of the guide frame will be described.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 11, a guide frame 210 according to anotherembodiment may include a lower guide frame 210-1 and an upper guideframe 210-2.

The lower guide frame 210-1 may have a tetragonal frame shape and may beaccommodated in the supporting cover 230 to support the upper guideframe 210-2. The lower guide frame 210-1 may include a frame supportingpart 214, a lower guide side wall 215, a protrusion side wall 216, and afirst coupling member 717 a.

The frame supporting part 214 may be provided in a tetragonal belt shapehaving a central opening and may be disposed under the rear edge of thedisplay panel 100 to support the upper guide frame 210-2.

The lower guide side wall 215 may be provided at a rear edge of theframe supporting part 214 to have a certain height. The lower guide sidewall 215 may provide an accommodating space, which is disposed under theframe supporting part 214, for the backlight unit 150 and surround theside surfaces of the supporting cover 230.

The protrusion side wall 216 may be provided to have a certain height ata top edge of the frame supporting part 214 overlapping the one edgepart LS of the display panel 100. That is, the protrusion side wall 216may be provided on one side of the frame supporting part 214 to surroundthe lower surface of the display panel 100 and support the curved cover1300. The plurality of flexible circuit films 131 may be bent toward therear surface of the supporting cover 230 to surround a top and a sidesurface of the protrusion side wall 216.

The first coupling member 217 a may be provided on the lower guide sidewall 215 and may be coupled to the upper guide frame 210-2. In thiscase, a plurality of the first coupling members 217 a may be provided atpredetermined intervals on the other side walls except one side wall ofthe lower guide side wall 215 covered by the curved cover 1300. Thefirst coupling member 217 a according to an embodiment may be a couplingprojection that protrudes in a direction from an outer surface of thelower guide side wall 215 to the case side wall 520 of the external case500.

The lower guide frame 210-1 may have a curved shape corresponding tothat of the concavely curved display panel 100. That is, the lower guideframe 210-1 may have a curved shape where a horizontal-direction (X)length is longer than a vertical-direction (Y) length and ahorizontal-direction (X) center part is concavely curved toward theexternal case 500.

The upper guide frame 210-2 may have a flatly tetragonal belt shape andmay be disposed on the lower guide frame 210-1 to support the displaypanel 100. The upper guide frame 210-2 according to an embodiment mayinclude a panel coupling part 218, an upper guide side wall 219, and asecond coupling member 217 b.

The panel coupling part 218 may be provided in a tetragonal belt shapehaving a central opening and may be disposed in the frame supportingpart 214 of the lower guide frame 210-1 to support the rear edge of thedisplay panel 100. In this case, the panel coupling part 218 may bephysically coupled to the rear edge of the display panel 100 by thepanel coupling member 220. In addition, the panel coupling part 218 mayfurther include a guide groove for enabling the panel coupling member200 to be easily disposed. The guide groove may be concavely provided tohave a certain depth from a top of the panel coupling part 218, therebyguiding an arrangement position of the panel coupling member 220.

A plurality of the upper guide side walls 219 may be respectivelyprovided to have a certain height at edges other than one edge of thepanel coupling part 218 overlapping one edge of the display panel 100.That is, the upper guide side walls 219 may be respectively provided tohave a certain height at left, right, and upper edges of the panelcoupling part 218 in parallel with the lower guide side wall 215 andthus may surround side walls other than one side wall of the lower guideside wall 215 of the lower guide frame 210-1.

The second coupling member 217 b may be provided on the upper guide sidewall 219 to be coupled to the first coupling b 217 a. That is, thesecond coupling member 217 b according to an embodiment may be acoupling hole that passes through the upper guide side wall 219 in orderfor the first coupling member 217 a to be inserted.

The upper guide frame 210-2 may have a curved shape corresponding tothat of the concavely curved display panel 100. That is, the upper guideframe 210-2 according to an embodiment may have a curved shape where ahorizontal-direction (X) length is longer than a vertical-direction (Y)length and a horizontal-direction (X) center part is concavely curvedtoward the external case 500. The upper guide frame 210-2 may be coupledto the lower guide frame 210-1 by coupling between the first couplingmember 217 a and the second coupling member 217 b to support the displaypanel 100.

In addition, in a state where a position of the upper guide frame 210-2coupled to the display panel 100 by the panel coupling member 220 isfixed, when heat expansion occurs in the display panel 100 and/or theguide frame 210, light leakage can occur due to a change in the liquidcrystal layer caused by modification of the display panel 100. It can beconsidered that the light leakage occurs because of maintaining a statehere the display panel 100 is tightly fixed not to be moved. Therefore,the upper guide frame 210-2 may be disposed in the frame supporting part214 of the lower guide frame 210-1 to be moved in a horizontal direction(X, Y) within a predetermined range. To this end, the guide frame 210according to another embodiment may further include first and secondmovement guiders 214 a and 218 a.

The first movement guider 214 a may be provided in the frame supportingpart 214 of the lower guide frame 210-1. The first movement guider 214 aaccording to an embodiment may be at least one guide groove which isprovided to have a certain depth on a top of the frame supporting part214.

The second movement guider 218 a may be provided in the panel couplingpart 218 of the upper guide frame 210-2 and may be movably disposed atthe first movement guider 214 a. The second movement guider 218 aaccording to an embodiment may be at least one guide rail that isprovided to have a certain height from a bottom of the panel couplingpart 218.

In addition, the second coupling member 217 b may have a greater heightthan that of the first coupling member 217 a A size difference betweenthe first and second coupling members 217 a and 217 b is for moving thedisplay panel 100 within a certain range in a vertical direction Z (or athickness direction of the display panel) vertical to a horizontaldirection identically to the reason of moving the display panel 100 inthe horizontal direction.

The guide frame 210 according to another embodiment may move the displaypanel 100 in a horizontal direction and/or a vertical direction by usinga double structure including the lower and upper guide frames 210-1 and210-2, thereby minimizing or preventing light leakage caused by thedisplay panel 100 being pressed. Particularly, since light leakagecaused by the display panel 100 being pressed occurs in an LCD apparatusincluding a liquid crystal layer where liquid crystal molecules aredriven by a lateral electric field instead of a vertical electric field,the guide frame 210 according to another embodiment may be applied forsupporting a liquid crystal display panel based on an in-plane switching(IPS) mode.

The curved type display apparatus according to another embodiment of thepresent invention provides the same effects as those of the curved typedisplay apparatus according to an embodiment of the present inventionand minimizes or prevents the light leakage caused by the display panel100 being pressed by using the double structure of guide frame 210.

FIG. 12A is a diagram for describing a gap between a display panel and acurved cover according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 12B is adiagram for describing a gap between a display panel and a curved coveraccording to the second embodiment.

First, referring to FIGS. 12A and 5, it can be seen that the gap GPprovided between the display panel 100 and the curved cover 300according to the first embodiment largely increases at the one edge partLEP and the other edge part LEP of the display panel 100 due to therelease of the shape of the display panel 100 and thus becomesnon-uniform.

On the other hand, referring to FIGS. 12B and 8, it can be seen that thegap GP provided between the display panel 100 and the curved cover 1300according to the second embodiment is uniformly maintained by thebending part 314 of the front part 310 which is bent to correspond tomodification of a curvature caused by the release of the shape of thedisplay panel 100. That is, it can be seen that the gaps GP in the oneedge part LEP and the other edge part LEP of the display panel 100 areuniformly maintained by the bending part 314 provided in the front part310 of the curved cover 1300.

In addition, a reference interval between the curved cover 300 and thedisplay panel 100 should be maintained for the purpose of preventing thepenetration of foreign materials. That is, the reference interval (or agap) between the front surface of the display panel 100 and thebuffering pad attached to the curved cover 300 should be maintained.Therefore, the inventors have manufactured first to fifth samples of acurved type display apparatus which includes the curved cover 300according to the first embodiment and where the reference interval isset to 0.3 mm. For each of the first to fifth samples, the inventorshave inserted a gap gage into between the buffering pad and the rightedge part REP of the display panel 100 covered by the curved cover 300at a position of an arrow B illustrated in FIG. 2, and have measured asize of a gap GP. As a result of the measurement, as shown in thefollowing Table 1, it can be seen that all gaps GP of the first to fifthsamples largely exceed the reference interval. As a result, theinventors have confirmed that since an interval between the displaypanel 100 and the curved cover 300 increases at the right edge part REPof the display panel 100 covered by the curved cover 300 due to therelease of the shape of the display panel 100, all the gaps GP of thefirst to fifth samples of the curved type display apparatus includingthe curved cover 300 according to the first embodiment largely exceedthe reference interval.

TABLE 1 Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4 Sample 5 GP [mm] 0.72 0.680.74 0.71 0.67 Average [mm] 0.704

Moreover, the inventors have manufactured sixth to tenth samples of acurved type display apparatus which includes the curved cover 1300according to the second embodiment and where the reference interval isset to 0.3 mm. For each of the sixth to tenth samples, the inventorshave inserted a gap gage into between the buffering pad and the rightedge part REP of the display panel 100 covered by the curved cover 1300at a position of an arrow C illustrated in FIG. 6, and have measured asize of a gap GP. As a result of the measurement, as shown in thefollowing Table 2, it can be seen that all gaps GP of the sixth to tenthsamples are close to the reference interval. As a result, in the sixthto tenth samples of the curved type display apparatus including thecurved cover 1300 according to the second embodiment, the inventors haveconfirmed that the gap GP between the buffering pad and the right edgepart REP of the display panel 100 covered by the curved cover 1300 isuniformly maintained by the bending part 314 of the curved part 312provided in the curved cover 1300 despite the release of the shape ofthe display panel 100.

TABLE 2 Sample 6 Sample 7 Sample 8 Sample 9 Sample 10 GP [mm] 0.35 0.350.30 0.38 0.30 Average [mm] 0.336

FIG. 13A is diagrams for describing initial shapes of first and secondedges of a display panel in the curved type display apparatus accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13B is across-sectional view taken along line II-II′ of FIG. 13A.

Referring to FIGS. 13A and 13B, as described above, when the displaypanel 100 is modified due to the shape-restoring phenomenon, lightleakage can occur in the display panel 100 due to a deviation of astress (hereinafter referred to as a bending stress) caused by physicalinterference between the display panel 100 and the guide frame 210.

For example, in an initial state of the display panel 100 having acurved shape, since the shape-restoring phenomenon is the minimum, firstand second edge parts EP1 and EP2 of the display panel 100 aremaintained in a flat state. Therefore, a constant distance D1 betweenthe guide frame 210 and each of corner parts CP1 to CP4 of the displaypanel 100 is maintained, and thus, the bending stress is not applied tothe corner parts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100, whereby lightleakage does not occur or is minimized.

FIG. 14A is diagrams for describing the shape modifications of the firstand second edges of the display panel in the curved type displayapparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention,and FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III′ of FIG.14A.

As illustrated in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the shape-restoring phenomenonincreases in the curved display panel 100 depending on the elapse oftime and an ambient environment condition, and thus, a middle part MP ofeach of first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 of the display panel 100is convexly bent, whereby each of the first and second edge parts EP1and EP2 of the display panel 100 is modified to a ∩-shape.

When the middle part MP of each of the first and second edge parts EP1and EP2 of the display panel 100 is modified to a convex shape, thepanel coupling member 220 attached to each of corner parts CP1 to CP4 ofthe display panel 100 is compressed, and thus, a distance D2 between theguide frame 210 and each of the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of the displaypanel 100 is reduced. Therefore, the bending stress caused by themodification of the display panel 100 is relatively more concentrated onthe corner parts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100 than the middlepart MP of each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 of thedisplay panel 100, and for this reason, a rubbing angle of an alignmentlayer which is provided at each of the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of thedisplay panel 100 is distorted, causing the distortion of the alignmentof liquid crystal. That is, the polarizing axis of the upper polarizingmember and the rubbing angle of the alignment layer provided on thelower substrate of the display panel 100 are distorted at each of thecorner parts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100, and for this reason,as illustrated in FIG. 15, light leakage occurs in the corner parts CP1to CP4 of the display panel 100. Due to the light leakage, the imagequality of a black screen is degraded in implementing the black screenin the display panel 100.

FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically illustrating a curved type displayapparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV′ of FIG. 16.Here, a cross-sectional surface taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 16 isillustrated in FIG. 10 or FIG. 11.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17 and 10 or 11, the curved type displayapparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention mayinclude a display panel 100, a panel driving circuit 130, a backlightunit 150, a guide frame 210, a panel coupling member 220, a supportingcover 230, a curved cover 1300, an external case 500, and a supportingpad 800. The curved type display apparatus according to the thirdembodiment of the present invention may further include the supportingpad 800 in addition to the elements of the curved type display apparatusaccording to the second embodiment of the present invention illustratedin FIGS. 9 and 10. Hereinafter, therefore, only the supporting pad 800and elements relevant to the supporting pad 800 will be described, anddescriptions on the other elements are not repeated.

The supporting pad 800 may overlap the panel coupling member 220 andsupport a middle part MP between corner parts CP1/CP3 and CP2/CP4 of thedisplay panel 100. In more detail, the supporting pad 800 may beprovided at a middle part MP of each of first and second edge parts EP1and EP2 of the display panel 100. That is, the supporting pad 800 maysupport only the middle part MP of each of the first and second edgeparts EP1 and EP2 which are convexly modified when restoring the shapeof each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2. Therefore, thecorner parts CP1 to CP4 of each of first and second edge parts EP1 andEP2 of the display panel 100 may overlap only the panel coupling member220, and the middle part MP of each of the first and second edge partsEP1 and EP2 may overlap both the supporting pad 800 and the panelcoupling member 220. In other words, the supporting pad 800 and thepanel coupling member 220 may be disposed in a stacked structure betweenthe guide frame 210 and the middle part MP of each of the first andsecond edge parts EP1 and EP2, and only the panel coupling member 220may be disposed in a single-layer structure between the guide frame 210and each of first to fourth edge parts EP1 to EP4 of the display panel100 other than the middle part MP.

Since the supporting pad 800 is disposed between the panel couplingmember 220 and the guide frame 210, the supporting pad 800 may locallysupport the panel coupling member 220 overlapping the middle part MP ofeach of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2. Therefore, whenrestoring the shape of the display panel 100, the supporting pad 800 mayincrease a distance between the guide frame 210 and the middle part MPof each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2, thereby relaxinga bending stress which is applied to each of the corner parts CP1 to CP4of the display panel 100 when each of the first and second edge partsEP1 and EP2 is convexly modified. That is, when each of the first andsecond edge parts EP1 and EP2 is convexly modified, a distance betweenthe guide frame 210 and each of the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of thedisplay panel 100 increases by a thickness of the supporting pad 800,and thus, the bending stress applied to each of the corner parts CP1 toCP4 of the display panel 100 is relaxed, thereby minimizing lightleakage which occurs in each of the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of thedisplay panel 100.

The supporting pad 800 may have a young's modulus which is greater thanthat of the panel coupling member 220. Here, when the supporting pad 800has a young's modulus which is less than that of the panel couplingmember 220, the supporting pad 800 and the panel coupling member 220 maybe compressed by a bending force which is applied when each of the firstand second edge parts EP1 and EP2 is modified, thereby relaxing thebending stress applied to each of the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of thedisplay panel 100. Therefore, the supporting pad 800 may be formed of amaterial having a young's modulus which is greater than that of thepanel coupling member 220. The supporting pad 800 according to anembodiment may be formed of silicon. The supporting pad 800 according toanother embodiment may be formed of a plastic material, for example, atleast one of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC),polyethersulfone (PES), polyethylenapthanate (PEN, and polynorborneen(PNB).

The supporting pad 800 may have a thinner thickness than that of thepanel coupling member 220. Here, when the supporting pad 800 has athicker thickness than that of the panel coupling member 220, an air gapor an air bubble occurs between a side surface of the supporting pad 800and the panel coupling member 220, and for this reason, an adhesiveforce of the panel coupling member 220 is reduced, causing an increasein a thickness of the display apparatus.

A length of the supporting pad 800 may be set to 20% to 30% of a lengthof one side surface of the guide frame 210 that supports each of thefirst and second edge parts EP1 and EP2, and a length-direction centerpart of the supporting pad 800 may overlap a center part of each of thefirst and second edge parts EP1 and EP2. Here, when the length of thesupporting pad 800 is less than 20% of the length of the one sidesurface of the guide frame 210, there is a limitation in relaxing thebending stress applied to each of the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of thedisplay panel 100. In order to overcome such a limitation, a thicknessof the supporting pad 800 should increase. Also, when the length of thesupporting pad 800 is greater than 30% of the length of the one sidesurface of the guide frame 210, the bending stress applied to each ofthe corner parts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100 is effectivelyrelaxed, but the panel coupling member 220 can be stripped. In order tosolve such stripping, the thickness of the supporting pad 800 shoulddecrease. Considering the relaxation of the bending stress, thestripping, and the thickness, the length of the supporting pad 800 maybe set to 20% to 30% of the length of the one side surface of the guideframe 210.

The supporting pad 800 may be provided between the panel coupling member220 and the guide frame 210 to overlap the panel coupling member 220 andlocally overlap only the middle part MP of each of the first and secondedge parts EP1 and EP2 of the display panel 100, and thus, when theshape of each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 isrestored, the bending stress applied to each of the corner parts CP1 toCP4 of the display panel 100 is relaxed, thereby minimizing lightleakage which occurs in the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel100.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 18A, in an initial state of thedisplay panel 100 having a curved shape, since the shape-restoringphenomenon is the minimum, the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2of the display panel 100 are maintained in a flat state. Therefore, aconstant distance D3 between the guide frame 210 and each of cornerparts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100 is maintained, and thus, thebending stress is not applied to the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of thedisplay panel 100, whereby light leakage does not occur or is minimized.In this case, the panel coupling member 220 attached to the middle partMP of each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 may becompressed by the thickness of the supporting pad 800 due to a young'smodulus which is lower than that of the supporting pad 800, and thus,light leakage caused by the supporting pad 800 does not occur in thefirst and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 of the display panel 100.

As illustrated in FIG. 18B, the shape-restoring phenomenon increases inthe curved display panel 100 depending on the elapse of time and anambient environment condition, and thus, the middle part MP of each ofthe first aid second edge parts EP1 and EP2 of the display panel 100 isconvexly bent, whereby each of the first and second edge parts EP1 andEP2 of the display panel 100 is modified to a ∩-shape. In this case, themiddle part MP of each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 ofthe display panel 100 may be modified to a convex shape in a state ofbeing separated from the guide frame 210 by the thickness of thesupporting pad 800 by an elastic force of the panel coupling member 220based on the young's modulus of the supporting pad 800. Therefore, adistance D4 between the guide frame 210 and each of corner parts CP1 toCP4 of the display panel 100 may be reduced due to modification of theshape of each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 of thedisplay panel 100, but the reduced distance D4 may be compensated for bythe supporting pad 800 and the thickness of the supporting pad 800,whereby the bending stress which is relatively concentrated on thecorner parts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100 is relaxed by thesupporting pad 800.

Therefore, when the shape of each of the first and second edge parts EP1and EP2 is modified, the supporting pad 800 may increase the distancebetween the guide frame 210 and the middle part MP of each of the firstand second edge parts EP1 and EP2 to relax the bending stress applied tothe corner parts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100, thereby preventingor minimizing light leakage which occurs in the corner parts CP1 to CP4of the display panel 100.

In the curved type display apparatus according to the third embodimentof the present invention, when the shape of the display panel 100 ismodified, the bending stress applied to the corner parts CP1 to CP4 ofthe display panel 100 is relaxed by the supporting pad 800, therebypreventing or minimizing light leakage which occurs in the corner partsCP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100. Therefore, when a black screen isimplemented in the display panel 100, an embodiment of the presentinvention prevents or minimizes the degradation of the image quality ofa black screen caused by the light leakage which occurs in the cornerparts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100.

The curved type display apparatus according to the third embodiment ofthe present invention illustrated in FIG. 16 has been described above asincluding the curved cover 1300 illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8, but is notlimited thereto. For example, the curved type display apparatusaccording to the third embodiment of the present invention may includethe curved cover 300 illustrated in FIG. 4. However, the curved typedisplay apparatus according to the third embodiment of the presentinvention may include the curved cover 1300 illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8,for making a gap GP uniform in each of the first and second edge partsEP1 and EP2 (or one edge part LEP and the other edge part REP) of thedisplay panel 100.

FIG. 19 is another cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV′ of FIG.16, and line I-I′ of FIG. 16 is illustrated in FIG. 11. FIG. 19illustrates a modified structure of the guide frame illustrated in FIG.16. Hereinafter, therefore, only the guide frame and elements relevantto the guide frame will be described, and descriptions on the otherelements are not repeated.

Referring to FIGS. 19, 16 and 11, a guide frame 210 according to anotherembodiment may include a lower guide frame 210-1 and an upper guideframe 210-2.

The lower guide frame 210-1 may have a tetragonal frame shape and may beaccommodated in the supporting cover 230 to support the upper guideframe 210-2. The lower guide frame 210-1 according to an embodiment mayinclude a frame supporting part 214, a lower guide side wall 215, aprotrusion side wall 216, and a first coupling member 217 a. The lowerguide frame 210-1 is the same as the lower guide frame of FIG. 17, andthus, its detailed description is not repeated.

The upper guide frame 210-2 may have a flatly tetragonal belt shape andmay be disposed on the lower guide frame 210-1 to support the displaypanel 100. The upper guide frame 210-2 according to an embodiment mayinclude a panel attaching part 218, an upper guide side wall 219, and asecond coupling member 217 b. The upper guide frame 210-2 is the same asthe upper guide frame of FIG. 11, and thus, its detailed description isnot repeated.

In addition, in a state where a position of the upper guide frame 210-2coupled to the display panel 100 by the panel coupling member 220 isfixed, when heat expansion occurs in the display panel 100 and/or theguide frame 210, light leakage can occur due to a change in the liquidcrystal layer caused by modification of the display panel 100. It can beconsidered that the light leakage occurs because of maintaining a statewhere the display panel 100 is tightly fixed not to be moved. Therefore,the upper guide frame 210-2 may be disposed in the frame supporting part214 of the lower guide frame 210-1 to be moved in a horizontal direction(X, Y) within a predetermined range. To this end, the guide frame 210according to another embodiment may further include first and secondmovement guiders 214 a and 218 a.

The first movement guider 214 a may be provided in the frame supportingpart 214 of the lower guide frame 210-1. The first movement guider 214 aaccording to an embodiment may be at least one guide groove which isprovided to have a certain depth on a top of the frame supporting part214.

The second movement guider 218 a may be provided in the panel couplingpart 218 of the upper guide frame 210-2 and may be movably disposed atthe first movement guider 214 a. The second movement guider 218 aaccording to an embodiment may be at least one guide rail that isprovided to have a certain height from a bottom of the panel couplingpart 218.

The guide frame 210 according to another embodiment may move the displaypanel 100 in a horizontal direction and/or a vertical direction by usinga double structure, including the lower and upper guide frames 210-1 and210-2, thereby minimizing or preventing light leakage caused by thedisplay panel 100 being pressed. Particularly, since fight leakagecaused by the display panel 100 being pressed occurs in an LCD apparatusincluding a liquid crystal layer where liquid crystal molecules aredriven by a lateral electric field instead of a vertical electric field,the guide frame 210 according to another embodiment may be applied forsupporting a liquid crystal display panel based on the IPS mode.

In addition, the supporting pad 800 may be provided between the upperguide frame 210-2 and the panel coupling member 220 overlapping themiddle part MP of each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 ofthe display panel 100. As described above, when the shape of each of thefirst and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 is modified, the supporting pad800 may increase the distance between the guide frame 210 and the middlepart MP of each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 to relaxthe bending stress applied to the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of the displaypanel 100, thereby preventing or minimizing light leakage which occursin the corner parts CP1 to CP4 of the display panel 100.

FIG. 20 is another cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV′ of FIG.16. FIG. 20 illustrates an arrangement structure of the supporting padillustrated in FIG. 16, and in more detail, illustrates the changing ofan arrangement position of the supporting pad illustrated in FIG. 19.Hereinafter, therefore, only elements relevant to the arrangementstructure of the supporting pad will be described, and descriptions onthe other elements are not repeated.

The supporting pad 800 may be disposed between the lower guide frame210-1 and the upper guide frame 210-2. In more detail, the supportingpad 800 may be disposed between the panel attaching part 218 of theupper guide frame 210-2 and the frame supporting part 214 of the lowerguide frame 210-1. To this end, the guide frame 210 according to anotherembodiment of the present invention may further include a pad disposingpart 210-3 that accommodates the supporting pad 800.

The pad disposing part 210-3 may include a first groove 214 b and asecond groove 218 b.

The first groove 214 b may be provided in the frame supporting part 214of the lower guide frame 210-1 and may be disposed to be concave from atop of the frame supporting part 214 and to have a depth which is lessthan a height of the supporting pad 800. The first groove 214 b maysupport a bottom of the supporting pad 800 and guide an arrangementposition of the supporting pad 800, but since the first groove 214 b isnot an essential element, the first groove 214 b may be omitted.

The second groove 218 b may be provided in the panel attaching part 218of the upper guide frame 210-2 to directly face the first groove 214 band may be disposed to be concave from a bottom of the panel attachingpart 218. The second groove 218 b may cover an upper portion of thesupporting pad. 800 protruding from the first groove 214 b.

The supporting pad 800 may be disposed in a pad accommodating spaceprovided by the first and second grooves 214 b and 218 b. A bottom ofthe supporting pad 800 may be attached to the frame supporting part 214of the lower guide frame 150-1, and a top of the supporting pad 800 maybe attached to a ceiling of the second groove 218 b. As described above,when the shape of each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 ismodified, the supporting pad 800 may increase the distance between theguide frame 210 and the middle part MP of each of the first and secondedge parts EP1 and EP2 to relax the bending stress applied to the cornerparts CP1 to CP1 of the display panel 100, thereby preventing orminimizing light leakage which occurs in the corner parts CP1 to CP4 ofthe display panel 100. Also, the supporting pad 800 is disposed betweenthe upper guide frame 150-2 and the lower guide frame 150-1, and thus,when the shape of each of the first and second edge parts EP1 and EP2 ismodified, the bending stress applied to the corner parts CP1 to CP4 ofthe display panel 100 is relaxed without any reduction in a couplingforce between the display panel 100 and the guide frame 210 through thepanel coupling member 220.

In the curved type display apparatus according to the above-describedembodiments of the present invention, the display panel 100 has beendescribed above as a liquid crystal panel including the liquid crystallayer, but is not limited thereto. For example, the display panel 100may use an organic light emitting display panel or a plasma displaypanel, and in this case, the backlight unit 150 and the supporting cover230 may be omitted.

The curved type display apparatus according to the embodiments of thepresent invention may be applied to a small and medium displayapparatus, such as a monitor of a computer and/or the like, and a largedisplay apparatus having a large screen such as a large-screentelevision and/or the like.

As described above, according to the embodiments of the presentinvention, edges other than one edge of the display panel are exposed tothe outside without being covered by instruments such as the panelsupporting part and an external case, and thus, the bezel width of thecurved type display apparatus is reduced. Also, a front aestheticappearance of the curved type display apparatus is enhanced by removinga stepped portion from an edge of the display panel.

Moreover, according to the embodiments of the present invention, anaesthetic appearance of the curved type display apparatus is enhanced byminimizing or preventing non-uniformity of a gap which occurs betweenthe display panel and the curved cover because the shape of the displaypanel having a curved shape is released.

Moreover, according to the embodiments of the present invention, byrelaxing an interference stress which is applied to a corner part of thedisplay panel when the shape of the display panel having a curved shapeis released, the image quality of a black screen is prevented from beingdegraded due to light leakage that occurs in the corner part of thedisplay panel.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, itis intended that the present invention covers the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A curved type display apparatus comprising: adisplay panel having a curved shape; a guide frame configured to supporta rear edge of the display panel; a panel coupling member configured tocouple the rear edge of the display panel to the guide frame; asupporting pad between the guide frame and the panel coupling member,the supporting pad configured to support a middle part between cornersof the display panel, wherein the supporting pad overlaps both the guideframe and the panel coupling member at the middle part, but does notoverlap either the guide frame or the panel coupling member at thecorners of the display panel; an external case configured to accommodatethe guide frame and surround side surfaces of the guide frame and thedisplay panel; wherein the display panel comprises first and second edgeparts disposed in parallel to cover the supporting pad, a corner of eachof the first and second edge parts overlaps the panel coupling member,and a middle part of each of the first and second edge parts overlapsthe panel coupling member and the supporting pad; a panel drivingcircuit coupled to a third edge part of the display panel; and a curvedcover configured to cover the third edge part and the panel drivingcircuit, wherein the curved cover comprises: a front part configured tocover an upper portion of the third edge part, the front part having acurved shape which corresponds to a shape of the display panel; and aside wall part bent from the front part to be coupled to one side of theguide frame, and covered by the external case, wherein the front partcomprises: a middle part having a curved shape having a first curvature;one edge having a curved shape having a second curvature different fromthe first curvature; and another edge having a curved shape having thesecond curvature.
 2. The curved type display apparatus of claim 1,wherein the guide frame comprises: a panel coupling part coupled to arear edge of the display panel through the panel coupling member; and aguide side wall vertically coupled to the panel coupling part andcovered by the external case, and wherein the supporting pad is disposedbetween the panel coupling member and the panel coupling part.
 3. Thecurved type display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide framecomprises: an upper guide frame coupled to a rear edge of the displaypanel through the panel coupling member; and a lower guide frameconfigured to support the upper guide frame, and wherein the supportingpad is disposed between the panel coupling member and the upper guideframe.
 4. The curved type display apparatus of claim 1, wherein theguide frame comprises: an upper guide frame coupled to a rear edge ofthe display panel through the panel coupling member; and a lower guideframe configured to support the upper guide frame, and wherein thesupporting pad is disposed between the upper guide frame and the rearedge of the display panel.
 5. The curved type display apparatus of claim1, wherein the supporting pad has a young's modulus which is greaterthan a young's modulus of the panel coupling member.
 6. The curved typedisplay apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the supporting pad is20% to 30% of a length of one side surface of the guide frame supportingeach of the first and second edge parts, and a length-direction centerpart of the supporting pad overlaps a center part of each of the firstand second edge parts.
 7. The curved type display apparatus of claim 1,wherein a corner of each of the one edge and the other edge of the frontpart is bent toward the display panel to have the second curvature whichis larger than the first curvature.
 8. The curved cover of claim 1,wherein a corner of each of the one edge and the other edge of the frontpart is bent toward the display panel to have a triangular shape.
 9. Thecurved cover of claim 1, wherein a corner of each of the one edge andthe other edge of the front part is stepped by a length from a frontsurface of the front part.
 10. The curved cover of claim 9, wherein thelength is set to a thickness of the front part.
 11. The curved cover ofclaim 9, wherein the length is set to a distance between the displaypanel and the front part.